Jeffrey Harold Turley

Jeffrey Harold Turley passed away at 8:32 on Friday, February 21st at his home in Riverside with his sons at his side. Jeff was born December 6th, 1954, at St. Francis Hospital in Lynwood, CA to Harold and Dorothe (Conrey) Turley, arriving at 3:54 in the afternoon. Jeff was the middle of three children, with an older sister, Valorie and a younger sister, Lynn. Growing up in Palos Verdes, Jeff attended Pedregal Elementary, Ridgecrest Middle School and graduated from Rolling Hills High School in June of 1973. While in Palos Verdes, Jeff spent as much time as possible outdoors, preferably scuba diving, running with his Dog, Hannibal, or working on any car he could get his hands on. Jeff moved to Riverside in 1973 to attend UC Riverside. During his college years, Jeff enjoyed hunting in the local hills, driving his various cars at above approved speeds and hang-gliding from any cliff high enough to catch flight much more than he enjoyed attending class. With this penchant for challenge and danger leading the way, he applied to and was accepted by the Sheriff's Department. After graduation from the Sheriff's Academy in 1978, Jeff worked first in the downtown Riverside jail or the “old jail” as it was known and then moved on to patrol. Moving up through the ranks, Jeff served as EST (SWAT) team captain, Chief of Police to the areas of Perris, Canyon Lake, Woodcrest and Mead Valley and retired in 2006 as the Captain in charge of the Robert Presley Detention Center in downtown Riverside. When he wasn't tending to his duties with the Sheriff's Department, Jeff could be found camping and boating at Six Mile Cove at Lake Mohave, houseboating on Lake Shasta and Lake Powell, golfing, most likely at Canyon Crest Country Club, working in the garage or working to perfect his crème brule recipe. As is required of all retired cops, Jeff bought a Harley Davidson and rode untold hours alone and with friends. For 10 years, Jeff served as a volunteer Fair Board Member for the Indio Date Festival. From 2001-2011, serving as honorary board President two times. He was happy and honored to be a part of the Date Festival and proud of the many friends he had there. One of Jeff's favorite trips was up to Sespe Canyon, high above Filmore, CA. In the 1870's, his great-great-grandfather George Johann Henley, geologist, homesteaded the Sespe Canyon, then proceeded to furnish granite blocks for buildings on the man streets of Filmore, Ventura, Santa Barbara and even the ever-growing city of Los Angeles. The trip to Sespe always included a stop at the stone house built by George to replace the wood cabin home shared with his wife Melita and daughter Clara. Jeff never tired of hearing the story of how George sent his grandson Joseph to secure his new automobile to the stone house during a severe storm in March of 1938. When the storm broke and Joe returned to the canyon, the road was gone and so was the new car. Sespe Creek had crested at 16 feet. All that remained of the car was the bumper, carefully chained to the house. (Joseph H. Turley died October 9 1943 while piloting his B-17 over Anklam Germany during WWII) Throughout his years and especially after his cancer diagnosis twelve years ago, there were three anchors to his life – his family, especially his three sons, Joshua Holden, Ryan Joseph and Justin Patrick, - his friends far and wide – and his fellow officers. Although his body was weakened by cancer and the treatments to cure it, Jeff's spirit and resolve were not. After a medical retirement from the Sheriff's department, Jeff graduated from the University of Redlands, completing the degree he had begun three and a half decades prior. He travelled to Israel, Colombia, Vietnam and all over the Western United States on either of his two Harleys. He and his sons spent many days scuba diving in Laguna Beach, San Diego and at Catalina, including several lobster dives off of the Magician dive boat. In June of 2013, Jeff, his sons and his sister, Lynn spent a week on Ambergris Caye in Belize. The 84 degree Caribbean water was heaven on earth for Jeff and his family. On land, they ate Lionfish fritters, chased crocodiles in the lagoons with the team from ACES crocodile sanctuary and drove their rented golf cart the wrong way down narrow streets with the horn blaring during a torrential downpour. In the water, they dived with dolphins, navigated through long tunnels in the reef and did their best to steer clear of the ever inquisitive moray eels. During the last few months of Jeff's life, his friends and family came together to create a network of love and support for Jeff and each other. His sons, his sister, Lynn and Mother, Dorothe were joined by numerous others so that Jeff had a loved one by his side every minute of every hour of every day. His cousin, Nick Salyer spent late nights and early mornings at bedside, as did Nick's daughter, Brenda and her husband, Todd Lamph. Roger and Ruth Denman provided meals, comfort and a quilt made especially for “Jeffie”. Eric and Kathy Spidle brought laughter and stories of shared motorcycle rides. The Turley family is forever in the debt of Jeanne Biel, Leah Landers, Gina Manifesta and April Dawson for their big hearts, tireless energy and most importantly for the love they shared with Jeff. Thanks to the medical expertise and unfailing care of Dr. Saab at the Riverside Medical Clinic and the amazing team at City of Hope led by Dr. Trisal, Jeff post-diagnosis life exceeded all medical expectations. Jeff is also survived by his elder sister, Valorie of Tahoe CA; an uncle, Edward, of Riverside CA; his niece Kourtny Sheldon of Las Vegas and her brothers, Jeremy and Jerrad Sheldon of Carson City. Second and third cousins, Rick Salyer of Hawaii and daughter Eileen of Laguna Beach; Bob Salyer and Don Salyer of Redding CA. Ron W Harford of Huntington Harbor and son, Greg, of Temecula Memorial Services will be private but friends and family are encouraged to visit an online memorial at http://www.sunsetfuneralcare.com/obituaries/Jeffrey-Turley In lieu of flowers, please make donations to City of Hope, care of Dr. Trisal http://www.cityofhope.org/giving

Jeffrey Harold Turley

December 6, 1954 - February 21, 2014